Magnetic head slider with rail leading portions increasing in thickness over rail portions which widen and narrow

Abstract

A slider body of a magnetic head slider has a leading end located upstream of an air flow generated between the slider body and a magnetic recording medium, a trailing end located downstream of the air flow, and a floating surface opposed to the magnetic recording medium. At least two rails for generating a floating force are provided on the floating surface of the slider body. A magnetic head for reading/writing data is provided at the trailing end of the slider body. A groove formed between the rails is changed in width from the leading end toward the trailing end, thereby generating an attractive force between the floating surface and the magnetic recording medium. Each of the rails has a tapering portion increased in thickness from the leading end toward the trailing end. The tapering portion terminates at a position where each rail is decreased in width from the leading end toward the trailing end. This magnetic head slider is improved in that its floating characteristics are less influenced by working variations of the tapering portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A magnetic head slider comprising: a slider body having a leading end located upstream of an air flow generated between said slider body and a magnetic recording medium, a trailing end located downstream of said air flow, and a floating surface opposed to said magnetic recording medium;   first and second side rails provided on said floating surface of said slider body, for generating a floating force;   a leading end center rail provided between said first and second side rails on said floating surface of said slider body in the vicinity of said leading end, wherein a distance between a rear end of one of said first and second side rails and said trailing end is smaller than a distance between a rear end of said leading end center rail and said trailing end;   a magnetic head provided at said trailing end of said slider body, for reading/writing data;   wherein a groove formed between said first side rail and said second side rail is changed in width from said leading end toward said trailing end, thereby generating an attractive force between said floating surface and said magnetic recording medium;   at least one of said rails having a widening portion which gradually widens in width from said leading end toward said trailing end followed by a narrowing portion which gradually narrows in width in said direction, each of said first and second side rails and said leading end center rail further having a leading portion with a terminating end, wherein said leading portion of said at least one of said rails gradually increases in thickness from said leading end toward said trailing end, said leading portion of said at least one of said rails increasing in thickness through said widening portion to said terminating end in said narrowing portion.   
     
     
       2. A magnetic head slider according to claim 1, further comprising: a first narrow groove formed between said first side rail and said leading end center rails; and   a second narrow groove formed between said second side rail and said leading end center rail, wherein said first and second narrow grooves are not parallel to side surfaces of said slider body and have a substantially uniform width.   
     
     
       3. A magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a rear end of said first side rail and said trailing end is larger than a distance between a rear end of said second side rail and said trailing end. 
     
     
       4. A magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein said first and second side rails are unsymmetrical in shape with respect to each other. 
     
     
       5. A magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein said first and second side rails are deviated in position toward one side of said slider body. 
     
     
       6. A magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails and said leading end center rail is formed such that a pressure applied to each of said first and second side rails is larger than a pressure applied to said leading end center rail.   
     
     
       7. A magnetic head slider according to claim 6, wherein an area of said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails is substantially equal to an area of said leading portion of said leading end center rail; and a tapering angle of said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails is smaller than a tapering angle of said leading portion of said leading end center rail.   
     
     
       8. A magnetic head slider according to claim 6, wherein a tapering angle of said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails is substantially equal to a tapering angle of said leading portion of said leading end center rail; and an area of said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails is larger than an area of said leading portion of said leading end center rail.   
     
     
       9. A magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein at least one said terminating end has a curved portion formed to avoid discontinuity of a tapering angle of said leading portion, said tapering angle being defined between said leading portion and an extended line of a trailing rail portion; and an angle defined between a line tangent to a substantial center of said curved portion and said trailing rail portion is larger than 1/3 of said leading angle.   
     
     
       10. A magnetic head slider according to claim 9, wherein said leading angle is smaller than 2°. 
     
     
       11. A magnetic head slider comprising: a slider body having a leading end located upstream of an air flow generated between said slider body and a magnetic recording medium, a trailing end located downstream of said air flow, and a floating surface opposed to said magnetic recording medium;   at least two rails provided on said floating surface of said slider body, for generating a floating force;   a magnetic head provided at said trailing end of said slider body, for reading/writing data;   a groove defined between said rails is changed in width from said leading end toward said trailing end, thereby generating an attractive force between said floating surface and said magnetic recording medium;   each of said rails having a narrowing portion which gradually narrows in width in a direction from said leading end toward said trailing end and a widening portion which gradually widens in width in said direction, each of said rails further having a leading portion which gradually increases in thickness from said leading end toward said trailing end, said leading portion stops increasing in thickness at a terminating end where at least one of said rails narrows in width from said leading end toward said trailing end;   said rails including first and second side rails and a leading end center rail provided between said first and second side rails on said floating surface of said slider body in the vicinity of said leading end, said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails and said leading end center rail is formed such that a pressure applied to each of said first and second side rails is larger than a pressure applied to said leading end center rail;   wherein an area of said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails is substantially equal to an area of said leading portion of said leading end center rail; and   a tapering angle of said leading portion of each of said first and second side rails is smaller than a tapering angle of said leading portion of said leading end center rail.